If France are to keep their 2012 Davis Cup hopes alive then Tsonga must win this rubber. However the bad news for France is that while he's ranked six in the world, Tsonga did not look as impressive on day one. While Isner eased to a confident straight sets win over Gilles Simon, Tsonga had earlier laboured past Ryan Harrison 7-5, 6-2, 2-6, 6-2.

“I took the court very confident,” Isner said. “To me no matter who I was going to play today, I was going to feel confident no matter what. So that was the case today. I went out there and I played very well, simple as that. I was very happy with how I played and I am happy that I was able to help the team out.”

Tsonga and Isner are locked at 1-1 on the head-to-head with Isner winning their first clash 4-6, 7-6(2), 7-6(4) in Washington three years ago and Tsonga getting revenge 3-6, 7-6(1), 7-6(3) in an equally tight battle in November's Paris Masters.

However funnily enough the slow clay probably helps Isner more in this clash. Not the fastest of movers around the court it gives him more time around the baseline while his booming serve and forehand are still just as deadly.